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Love, magic, gods, and monsters collide in this thrilling Norse mythology inspired romantic fantasy for fans of The Vampire Diaries and Atlas Six.
Charlie Hudson is just trying to survive junior year, navigating the halls of school and the chaos of parties like a ghost. But her world is about to become seriously transformed—like world shifting altered—when a classmate mysteriously disappears into the forest, leaving only a pair of shoes and strange symbols carved into a tree.
Drawn to the disappearances by forces she can't explain, she finds herself investigating the mysterious, alluring newcomer in town, Elias Everhart. With piercing eyes and sharp wit, he dances around her questions, only intriguing her further. Elias has a secret. More than one.
But what Charlie doesn't know is that those secrets will lead her to a place she never imagined: a world hiding in plain sight, filled with enchantments, mythic beings, hidden dangers—and a first love fated to fall apart.
In Emma Noyes's Soul of Shadow, truths and temptations lurk in the darkness, and for Charlie, the only thing more dangerous than facing her past, is the boy with the power to change her future.
"This novel is perfect for readers of Holly Black, Lauren Roberts, and Stephanie Garber and mythology lovers who enjoy Rick Riordan and Joanne Harris." —School Library Journal
"Norse mythology and folklore permeate a treacherous, atmospheric setting bursting with magic and danger." —Publishers Weekly
"Despite being slow to start and suffering from a flat love interest, this book features an exciting ending." —Kirkus Reviews
"Soul of Shadow swept me away—I didn't want to put it down. Noyes' heartfelt characters and the absolutely sizzling romance make this a stunning romantasy that you won't want to miss." —Betty Cayouette, author of One Last Shot and creator of Betty's Book List
"What happens when an ordinary teen finds herself rocketed into an overlapping world of Nordic mythology? In Noyes' case — a breakneck story and surprising twists." —Jodi Picoult, #1 New York Times bestselling author
"Oh cool… I'm in love with a fictional subhuman bad boy again. This shimmering romantasy is twisty, addictive, and whimsically wicked. Emma Noyes renders worlds in colors I've never seen before, and Soul of Shadow gave me butterflies that bite." —Daisy Garrison, author of Six More Months of June
This information about Soul of Shadow was first featured
in "The BookBrowse Review" - BookBrowse's membership magazine, and in our weekly "Publishing This Week" newsletter. Publication information is for the USA, and (unless stated otherwise) represents the first print edition. The reviews are necessarily limited to those that were available to us ahead of publication. If you are the publisher or author and feel that they do not properly reflect the range of media opinion now available, send us a message with the mainstream reviews that you would like to see added.
Any "Author Information" displayed below reflects the author's biography at the time this particular book was published.
Emma Noyes writes books about love, mental health, and magic for both the young adult and adult genre. Her works have been published in over a dozen languages and include Guy's Girl, How to Hide in Plain Sight, The Sunken City series, and The Soul of Shadow series. She was named a 2025 Forbes 30 Under 30. She now lives in Chicago with her Swedish husband and their Pomeranian.
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